With around 80 residents participating in the games this year, there was no shortage of excitement at Kidron Bethel Village’s 13th annual Senior Olympics on September 14th. The oldest athlete being 103 years old was a reminder that fun can be had at every age.
Residents participated in games including the bean bag toss, spelling bee, bowling, wheelchair sprint and name that tune. Motivational music such as “Eye of the Tiger” and loud cheers could be heard down every hallway of the retirement community as residents competed in the games. A medal ceremony was held afterward where residents were adorned with first, second and third place medals—some even winning multiple medals.
“This annual event means a lot to our residents and their families,” said Melissa Bogunovich, director of life enrichment and coordinator of Kidron’s Senior Olympics. “It is a reminder that encouragement goes a long way and at every age we can have pride in who we are and what we can accomplish.”
Rachel Bucklin, community outreach coordinator for Bluestem Communities, said there were over 70 volunteers who helped with the event this year. Many of the volunteers were Bethel College students. Kidron Bethel Village is located across the street from Bethel College, which creates many opportunities for intergenerational connections like these to happen.
“The college students add a lot of youthfulness and joy to the day. Some residents don’t want their families to escort them in the games, they specifically ask for a college student to be paired with them instead,” said Bucklin. “We are really thankful for the partnership we have with have with the college.”
Kidron Bethel Village is a part of Bluestem Communities. Bluestem Communities is a nonprofit organization in central Kansas made up of several retirement communities and programs dedicated to serving seniors. For more information, visit us online at bluestemks.org.
